Animals on the Loose

The Egyptian Cobra

According to numerous reports, a deadly Egyptian cobra escaped from its enclosure in the Bronx Zoo on Sunday, March 27, sending typically edgy New York City residents into panic mode. One venomous bite from the 20-inch-long snake, which weighs less than three ounces, can kill a full-grown elephant in less than three hours. Although zoo staffers say they believe the snake is hiding out somewhere in the Reptile House, Bronx Zoo Director Jim Breheny said the process of catching the reptile may take several weeks. "Right now, it's the snake's game,"
Breheny said Monday. "At this point, it's just like fishing; you put the hook in the water and wait. Our best strategy is patience, allowing her time to come out of hiding." The folks at the Bronx Zoo might want to check Twitter for possible leads, where a (fake) Twitter handle for the '
Bronx Zoo's Cobra' has been terrorizing Manhattan since Monday. The account already has 50,000 followers (and counting), with hilarious
status updates like, "Enjoying a cupcake @magnoliabakery. This is going straight to my hips. Oh, wait. I don't have hips. Yesss! #snakeonthetown."